richmond



Patented Nov. 21, 1893.

1145 NATIONAL umoeaAr-umn COMPANY.

Parent tries.

GEORGE RICHMOND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y

COIN-CONTROLLED RENTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 509,181, datedhl'ovember 21, 1893.

Application filedJ'uly 10, 1893. Serial No. 450,099. (No model.)

full, clear, concise, and exact description as;

will enable others skilled in the art to whichmy invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention belongs to that class of apparatus known under thegeneral name of vending apparatus, but inasmuch as by the use of my invention goods are not purchased outright, but enjoyment or use is had of some machine, apparatus, process, &c.,' during a specified time it is more correctly distinguished by the name of renting apparatus. For example, it is particularly applicable to electric lighting, the telephone, and generally apparatus or processes which are dependent upon electricity asa motive force or whose operation is determined by the making or breaking of an electric current.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a plan view, partly in sec.- tion, along the line a, w, of Fig. 1.

.Ais the main body or framework of the apparatus. It is bolted to a base plate or table by the flange A, and it is covered at the upper part by the plate or cover B. The screws, 1), fasten the cover, B, down to the frame A. It is seen that the mechanism is object of the mechanism D is to cause the shaft, 0, to rotate continuously or intermittently at a specific rate to be determined by the purpose to which the apparatus is to be applied. As shown the mechanism consists of a ratchet wheel d, which is made fast to on the same shaft 0, (being retained in its place by a pin 0 passing through the same,)

the shaft 0, the lever, (1 which swings loosely A and carries a pawl, (:1 which by the vibration of the lever on which it is placed imparts v an intermittent motion to the ratchet-wheel,

c l, and through it to the shaft (3. The pawl, d is held up against the ratchet-wheel by a spring in the usual manner, and the lever d is held against the fixed stop, 8, by a spring 8'. of the electro magnet 121.. Each time that the current passes through the wire m the electro magnet is excited and draws. the lever 01 into contact with itself against the force of the spring 8' whereby the ratchet-wheel is rotated one tooth. When the current in'the wire m is broken the action of the spring 8' brings the lever back against the stop 8. This process is repeated each time a current is sent through the wire m the sending of which may be determined by an electric clock at headquarters. H

The apparatus E consists of a circular plate,

6, made fast to the shaft 0, a toothed plate or The rod is caused to vibrate by the action wheel, e, which revolves loosely on the shaft" G (shown turned down at this point for receiving it) to the under surface of which is attached a ratchet-wheel, 6 A pawl, 6 attached to the plate, 6, engages the ratchetwheel, c and imparts to it and the plate, 6, to which it is attached, the motion imparted by the shaft 0 to the plate, e, at the same time allowing the plate 6' to be freely rotated in one direction. The plate, 0', covers the hole in the frame A and its teeth, t, sweep along any coins which may be dropped into the annular space between the periphery of the plate, 6', and the inner circumference of the coveringplate B. A funnel, F, for dropping coins Y through into this space is shown in Fig. 1. Its position is preferably over the coin as seen in Fig. 2. A lever having two arms, G and G, swings on a pivot g, and when at rest the arm G is held against the stop g.

H is a contact maker. Inrits normal condition the lever, h, is drawnout of contact by a spring, h, attachedto a fixedstop g and the circuit is opened. By the pressure of the lever arm G against the lever h contact is made and a current can flow through the wire n, n.

IOO

K is a button the shank of which passes through the cover B and encircles a sleeve, e forming a part of or attached to the plate, 6. The outer periphery of this sleeve is cut to form a ratchet-wheel and the encircling button contains a pawl, a seen in Fig. 1.

The withdrawal'of the button, K, is prevented by the passing of a pin, 1), into a groove, 6 made in its periphery, the said pin, b, being attached to the cover B as seen in Fig. 1. A hole, A is made in the frame A by which communication is made between the upper surface and the pocket, A formed in the casting of the frame A. Through this opening coins can fall into the chamber A whence they can be removed by opening the door A Q is an ordinary registering device by which the number of revolutions of the shaft, 0, is registered through the intermediary gear Wheels q and (1 P is a stop motion consisting of an electro V magnet p the coils of which are on the n, n,

circuit, a bell crank, 10 one arm of which rests on the wheel, at, and the other arm hanging when in this position in front of the electro magnet, but clear of it; p are stops or studs on the wheel, 02, there being the same, number of stops as there are teeth, t.-

The rotation of the shaft, 0, and all attached to it is arrested by encounter of a stop, 19 with the lever 10 until by closing of the circuit n, n, the lever, 10 is lifted by the action of the electro magnet on the same. When the clock motion is derived from an independent electric circuit it may of course be arrested and started by causing the electro magnet, 19, when excited to close the time circuit.

The mode of operation is as follows:The coin being placed in the funnel, F, through the slit seen on the left-hand of the same it drops down onto the surface of the frame, A, on the face of which the toothed plate, e, is

revolving. By the motion of this plate, which motion is received from the shaft 0, the coin will be caught by one of the teeth and carried round until it is brought in contact with the lever arm G. The space between the periphery of the plate, 6, and the lever arm, G, forming a passage narrower than the diameter of the coin, the latter will be displaced by rotation upon the fulcrum, g, whereby the lever arm, G, will press upon the lever h, and close the contact. The current will remain closed by this closing of the contact by the continual pressure of the coin against the lever arm, G, and will only cease when the coin has been carried past the lever at which moment, or soon after, it is carried over the mouth of the funnel, A and drops through into the chamber A Contact can only be made again, and enjoyment had of whatever advantage is derived from the flow through the wire 'n, n, by placing another coin in the funnel F. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the operation, if the mechanism were left to itself, would not commence until some time after the coin had been inserted. To avoid this delay the operator can by means of the button, K, rotate the plate, 6, in the proper direction for making contact so that he can at once set the mechanism in operation, but on account of the ratchet mechanism, 6 and a within the button he cannot make use of this latter to hold the plate, 6, in opposition to the motor mechanism, D. When the ratchet e is interposed this rotation by hand is also independent of the rotation of the wheel 01. The teeth, t, on the plate, (2, are so arranged in relation to the length of the lever arm G that at or before the moment when one tooth removes the coin out of operative contact with the lever G the next following tooth can bring another coin in operative contact with the said lever arm. Thus a number of coins may be placed in the funnel, F, and the operation of the mechanism will be continuous, that is to say the circuit through n, n, will be closed until the whole of these coins have been utilized. The coin marked 5 is of course purely representative, and may be a coin of any value, or a disk of metalsupplied to the user. As regards theleverarm, G,itshould becur-ved in such a manner as to receive approximately the pressure proportional (inversely) to the changing leverage as the coin travels on its path. It is to facilitate this transmission of pressure that the latter is made in two forks G and G, each being .to a certain extent flexible. The rate at which the shaft 0 and the plate e is rotated will depend upon the purpose to which the apparatus is applied. For example, as applied to the telephone the shaft may be caused to make one revolution in thirty minutes and there being six teeth the insertion of a coin will give the use of the telephone as determined by closing the circuit 7%, n, for a space of five minutes. If the tariff is say five cents for five minutes the person Who wishes to use the telephone for that time will insert a five cent piece turning the button K untilthe circuit is closed, but if he desires to use it for fifteen minutes be will putin three five-cent pieces, in which case he will have uninterrupted use for fifteen minutes. As applied to electric lighting the shaft 0 might be caused to rotate once in six hours. The insertion of a suit-able coin would then give the use of the electric light current governed by the circuit, 41., n, for the space of one hour or for as many hours continuous use as the number of coins inserted. It will be understood of course that the circuit a. n, need not be that through Which the current to be used actually passes but is preferably a current of moderate strength operating a contact breaker and maker for the main current. In this manner it may be applied to the automatic renting of machines, &c., not themselves operating by electricity. For example, in renting power the closing of the circuit, n, n, may determine the throwing of the transmitting mechanism into gear. With regard to the motor mechanism, D, this may be any form of clock motion which may be either actuated fromthe central station or may be this connection.

wound up to a sufficient extent by the operator himself. I prefer however the arrangement by which the motor apparatus D is controlled from the central station. It is desirable that the opening or closing of the circuit, '12, n, should control the rotation of the shaft 0, since by this arrangement a counter actuated by the shaft 0 or any of the parts of the mechanism permanently attached to it would register the total number of revolutions made by the shaft 0 and thereby form a check upon the receipts and reveal the fact if the mechanism had been so tampered with as to cause rotation Without payment. An arrangement suitable for this purpose is that shown at P, and alreadydescribed. This,together with the counter Q, also renders the machine available for use in cases where it is not desired to obtain payment in advance, but to charge according to the time during which the main current has been closed, and enjoyment had of the results of this-condition. In this case all the mechanism E connected with the upper extremity of the shaft 0 may-be omitted. The current at, 'n, is then closed at will and the time during which it has been closed will be registered on the counter Q. The intervals between the stops, 10 now determine the minimum time during which the apparatus can be used. In electric lighting the stops may be practically continuous, but when used in connection with the telephone it is desirable to have a minimum charge for each use of the instrument.

I do not confine myself to the exact details which may be varied to suit particular applications. The essential feature of the mechanism E is the bringing the coin or token into a passage smaller in one dimension than one of the dimensions of the coin, whereby the latter is caused to press with force against one of the sides of the passage, which is capable of yielding under the pressure. It is evident that-instead of the diameter of the coin or disk its thickness may be utilized in Moreover the current may be closed by the actual contact of the coin or disk itself, which though difiticult with a coin on account of the poor surface contactobtainable might very well be done when a prepared disk is used.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a renting machine, the combination of a coin carrier, a passage normally narrower than the diameter of the coin and having a displaceable side, means for rotating said carrier at a predetermined rate, whereby the coin is passed into said passage, remains therein and presses against the displaceable side thereof for a period of time determined by the length of said passage, and means for causing the displacement of said displaceable side of the passage to close an electric circuit.

Y 2. In a renting machine, the combination of a-coin carrier, apassage normally narrower than the diameter of the coin and having-a displaceable side, means for rotating said carrier at a predetermined rate whereby the coin is passed into said passage, remains therein and presses against the displaceable. side thereof for a period of time determined by the length of said passage, and means for causing the displacement of said displaceable side of the passage to open an electric circuit.

3. In a renting machine a coin carrier in the form of a plate inclosed within a chamber having an aperture for the reception of coins, and provided with a plurality of teeth each adapted to embrace and carry forward a coin,

a passage, one side of which is formed by the periphery of said plate, the opposite wall being displaceable, the normal width of said passage being less than the diameter of the coin and its length less than the distance between the two consecutive teeth of the carrier-plate, means for rotating said carrier-plate at a predetermined rate, and means for causing the displacement of said'displac'eable side to close an electric circuit.

4. In a renting machine the combination of i a coin carrier freely rotatable in one direction,

whereby the coin can be brought into a pas sage and caused to press upon a displaceable side thereof, means for causing displacement of said side to close an electric current and set in operation a clock mechanism'for rotat ing said coin carrier at a predetermined rate, whereby the pressure of said coin against said displaceable side, and closing of said current is continued for a period of time determined by the length of said passage.

5. In a renting machine the combination of clock motion D, shaft 0 driven thereby, coin carrier e and ratchet e both attached to said shaft, lever G the contour of one edge of which follows the path of said coin carrier, contact maker H in operative connection with said lever G, button K loosely embracing shaft 0 and pawl (2 contained in said button, and adapted to operate on said ratchet e 6. In a renting machine the combination of clock motion D, shaft C driven thereby, coin carrier e loose upon the said shaft, plate e, ratchet e both attached to said shaft, ratchet 6 attached to said coin carrier, pawl e attached to said plate, and adapted to engage said ratchet 6 button K containing-pawl (5 adapted to operate on said ratchet e 7. In a renting machine the combination of clock motion D, shaft 0 driven thereby, button K, the therein contained pawl e ratchet e attached to said shaft, coin carrier e, the thereto attached ratchet e plate 6, the pawl 5 carried thereby, register Q in operative connection with said shaft 0, electro magnet 9', levered armature for same 19 adapted to IIO actuate a registering device at a predetermotion D, register Q, a lever p and stops p mined rate; means for arresting said clock at suitable intervals as and for the purpose to motion when said current is open, and means described.

for releasing said clock motion when said ourr I 5 Tennis c10sed GEO. RICHMOND.

9. In combination with means for produc- Witnesses: ing an electric current in a Wire n, n, and an OWEN V. HUGHES,

electro magnet 19, operated by the same, clock FRANK BADGLEY. 

